A review of Nine Inch Nails' "Not The Actual Events"

Trent Reznor seems to have decided that 2017 will be one of his active years. Along with definitive reissues of all of Nine Inch Nails' core releases on vinyl and high resolution audio, he has promised "two new, major works" from Nine Inch Nails. Then there's his and Atticus Ross' score for Peter Berg's Patriots Day (official release in a few weeks), the upcoming Ken Burns doc about the Vietnam War (due in Q3), and who the hell knows what else. But, before all this, Reznor started things off by fulfilling his promise from last year by releasing new Nine Inch Nails music in 2016, namely, Not The Actual Events, a 21-minute, 5-track EP.

Reznor says the story and concept for NTAE originated from a few years' worth of musical experiments and the idea of directly referencing back to a track of his from the mid-90's. He says it's impenetrable and unfriendly. He says it should be played loud. Some of the lyrics here feel like automatic writing, stream of consciousness. Reznor's voice is affected on some tracks, nearly unintelligible on others, and, on the opener "Branches/Bones", half of the song's lyrics aren't sung. Maybe we're supposed to...feel them...? Also, the fourth track, "The Idea of You", sounds a bit like electronic Metallica.

It's dense and it's brutal, but I can't tell if the fucking thing is good. I haven't stopped listening to it since it came out, but that means nothing; I'm a Nine Inch Nails fan and that's my function. I can say that I actively enjoy "Branches/Bones" and that, when the chorus of "Burning Bright" kicks in, I feel something explode inside of myself. But that's me. Not The Actual Events is on all streaming services as well as vinyl and some other mysterious format Reznor is teasing people with, so give it a listen and decide for yourself.

A side note: One of the most intriguing aspects of the EP (for me) is its artwork, which is identical to that of NIN's 2002 release, Still.

Still was a 9-track collection of acoustic interpretations of earlier works and leftover tracks from the Fragile sessions and it sounds absolutely fuckall like this new EP. Which begs the question: is NTAE to whatever's to come from Nine Inch Nails next year as Still was to The Fragile? Are we getting a new double album? Are the tracks on NTAE alternate versions? Also: who killed John F. Kennedy? Why is Hitler? Are 23 and 42 related?
In 2017, we shall find our answers.

A review of Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross' "Patriots Day" score

Note: This is a review of the "For Your Consideration" edit of the Patriots Day score. What this means is that this is not the final version of the score as is set to be released commercially in January 2017. Certain tracks are merely different edits of other, longer tracks, some with different mixing, instrumentation, and arrangements. As that is the case, this is less of a formal review and more of a "first impressions" write up.

While different from their previous score work, this is still clearly Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. On their next score, I'd really enjoy hearing them take more risks, getting out of their current workspace. Maybe it's them, maybe it's Peter Berg, the film's director, maybe it's the inherent lack of innovation in Hollywood stifling their artistic inclinations, but these two are much more adventurous than this.

Of their five scores thus far, Patriots Day feels the most like an Oscar Movie Soundtrack*. A really stand out, interesting Oscar Movie Soundtrack, but still well within the constraints of the system.

"Couples & Brothers"

Warm watery background with soft ascending and descending piano over it.

This is an R&R score.

Close to "Juno", but less spacey.

Maybe didn't need to be 7 minutes.

The ending gets uneasy.

"Donuts & Legs"

Delicate with a rough buzz in the background. Lower notes reminiscent of bass from "La Mer"/"Into The Void". This is a shade of "Obama & Coffee".

"Fornicator"

Little pops and clicks under a rising throb of menace. Like a dark, electronic open wound

":26"

Unsettling and cavernous. Wave cut short.

"Arrival"

Dissonance and tension. Very uncomfortable track.

Wrong notes. Staticky steam towards the end.

"Dread"

This makes me want these two to score the new Aliens movie so hard. A distant alarm tone pings while walls of noise rise and fall. Huge sound.

+"Bombs"

A longer, more fleshed out version of "Dread". Some deep synths and distortion around the edges. 

"FBI"

Two notes repeating before a subterranean pattern emerges to darken things up.

"Black Falcon"

Subtle intensity, low key chase music.

+"Hospital & Whole Milk"

Has remnants of "Dread"/"Bombs". Those somehow panicky alarm tones bouncing off the walls. Some very "Juno" moments about halfway through.

#"Vigil"

Another permutation of "Obama and Coffee". Clearer and more defined. This and its ilk are my favorites thus far.

+"Tommy Breaks Down"

Yet another, more stripped down version of "Bombs". The deep synth and alarm motifs are the focus here until things deteriorate and splinter towards the end.

@"Left of Boom"

Manipulation of "FBI", those two notes.

Find my attention wandering…

#"Obama & Coffee"

This Reznor & Ross is my favorite kind. It might be a formula, but it's a great formula. Hope there's a longer, deeper version of this on the final release.

"Roommates"

Very sinister crawl to this. It feels evil...

"Backpack & Brothers to M.I.T."

Nebulous and tense.

"Shoot Seann"

Feedback and reverb, baby, feedback and reverb. I'll say it again: will you guys please do a horror movie/video game? Death Stranding anyone?

"Car Jack"

First few seconds feel like "A Warm Place" before the electronics come in and makes things cold.

"Drive to Watertown"

Those "Juno"-esque vibes again...

"Escape"

The most electronic track thus far.

Like a digital washing machine. Peals of feedback drift around like ghosts. One or two moments actually harken back to NIN's Tetsuo theme.

"Shoot Out"

Sounds a bit like electronic indigestion.

Then more dark and pulsing programming.

"Tamerlan"

Right up there with "Escape" as far as its electronics. Like some diseased heart monitor. 

&"Manhunt"

Permutation of "Car Jack". Deeper, more electronic, more fleshed out.

"They Got The Wife"

Literally, a blast of noise.

^"Interrogation"

Reminiscent of "Perpetual" from Gone Girl thanks to the instrumentation.

Then, shades of "Arrival".

#"Watchlisted"

Features bass line from "Donuts & Legs" with a more compelling, electronic layer on top of it.

"Good Versus Evil"

Absolutely gorgeous. Warm and welcoming after the nervous tension of the rest of this score.

+"The Boat"

Another combination of that scratchy percussion and that alarm noise. Accompanied by the requisite waves of synth.

+"SWAT"

All right, that alarm noise worked once, maybe even twice. But by this point it seems so overused as to be almost ineffective.

"Capture & Fenway"

Finally, something different. Some nice light strings. This goes up there as one of the best tracks here. Feels like "34 Ghosts IV", the live arrangement of "The Day The World Went Away", and How To Destroy Angels' "A Drowning". Loving everything here.

%"Interviews"

Callback to "Couples & Brothers". This should have been the definitive version.

"Main Titles"

One of the only tracks with proper drums. Another perfect example of a rock solid Reznor/Ross joint.

+ Contains elements of "Dread"

# Contains elements of "Donuts & Legs"

% Contains elements of "Couples & Brothers"

@ Contains elements of "FBI"

^ Contains elements of "Arrival"

& Contains elements of "Car Jack"

"Donuts & Legs", "Vigil" and "Obama & Coffee" are all different iterations of one another and they're some of my favorite pieces here, along with "Good Versus Evil", "Capture & Fenway", and the main titles. Other stand outs include "Fornicator", "Escape", and "Tamerlan", mainly for their dark, sludgy electronics.

To reiterate, this is not a 100% accurate representation of the final score, set for release next month, and, going by just how many of these tracks are different versions of one another, I feel like I'm only getting a portion of what's to come. I hope. Because, unless there's some crazy additions to what's on offer here, this is going to be yet another solid yet unsurprising score from Reznor and Ross.

* That's not really meant as a compliment...

End of the Month Music Bitchfest - November 2016

Beck
Well, the new album*, which was slated for 2014, then 2015, then October 21st 2016, then November 2016 is now slated for 2017. Whether that means next year or the next 2017, after 9999 AD when the calendar resets, only Jesus knows for sure. Beck himself is saying that he doesn't know when it's coming out, even though it's been done for a while and members of the press have heard the fucking thing. I feel like this is the downside to working with a label.

The new single from Tapeworm, "Up All Night" sounds like something from a watch commercial or that song about stroke victims.

Nine Inch Nails
While the film isn't out for a few weeks, this score for Patriots Day is already getting predicted to get an Oscar nomination. So, you know, mitigate those expectations.

Here's that review of the Before The Flood score.

They Might Be Giants
Only a month until Dial-A-Song 2017...I think. There's a good chance the Johns took this year to spend time with family and friends. Like assholes.

Other than that, I've been listening to the sound of the Angry Marmalade Pancake Man and his clutch of slimy, worthless minions gearing up to destroy the world over the next eight years or so.
Stay woke.

* Which I'm just going to call Tapeworm